C40 What Money?

Dante's eyes were on his phone even as he listened to Aguilar's report.

He had to force himself not to storm upstairs to tell that stubborn woman to stay put.

“What was Antonia doing checking on her anyway?” He wondered.

He thought she didn't like Annabelle because of what she did to her. No matter how much her journey seemed to have changed her, Dante knew Antonia was not a pushover who would let something like a bruise to the face and being tied up go just like that.

There was only one other woman who could easily do that. And that woman had been Isabella.

Why the fuck was Antonia helping Annabelle into the wheelchair like they were long-lost friends about to have a tea party?

He seethed in his thoughts.

Dante shifted his attention back to Aguilar, who was finishing his report. “You’re sure?” he asked tersely.

“Yes, sir. If there are any remaining tissues, they’ll pass within 24 hours. I’ll conduct another test then to confirm her uterus is fully clean.”

The mention of Annabelle’s uterus made him uncomfortable, even more so with the thought that someone else had laid claim to it.

Dante’s jaw tightened as he deliberately stopped looking back at the phone.

He asked tersely, “Did she suspect anything?”

Aguilar looked thoughtful as he answered. “She didn’t seem entirely convinced when I assured her there was nothing unusual, but I’m confident Miss Whitaker had no idea she was pregnant, sir. Not a clue.”

Dante nodded, his voice low. “Good. I want it kept that way. No mention of it now, or ever. She’s to focus solely on her recovery. Understood?”

“Yes, sir,” Aguilar responded without hesitation.

Dante glanced at Angelo, his consigliere, standing by. There was no need to repeat the directive. He knew Angelo would ensure that no one breathed a word about Annabelle’s pregnancy.

Dante figured what she didn’t know couldn’t hurt her.

She seemed like the kind of woman who would be deeply affected if she found out she'd lost a baby, regardless of the situation of the conception.

He wanted her healthy, happy, and focused…on him.

And he’d make sure of it, one way or another.

*******

Annabelle was surprised as Antonia wheeled her out of the infirmary into the hall.

She’d noticed that her bed had been the only one in the room, but she’d assumed the others had been moved to accommodate all the surrounding equipment.

But now, it dawned on her that this infirmary wasn’t the recovery room she had been taken to before Dante carted her to the main house the last time.

He had created another in the main house.

Antonia leaned forward and whispered to Annabelle. “Do you know you are in Dante’s wing?”

No, Annabelle didn’t know such a thing and did not want to be anywhere close to him.

Before she could say anything though, she heard Antonia say to the men in a voice that brooked no argument, “I am taking her out for fresh air.”

The men and Judith didn’t say anything but the nurse and two men followed them.

Annabelle felt like screaming, but then she supposed it was better than not allowing them to go out.

She needed to thank Antonia for her kindness and now that she knew she was being watched, there was no way she could do it in that room.

Despite the change, many of the rest felt the same.

His men still positioned themselves discreetly throughout the mansion, but she noticed the guards stationed by the infirmary seemed to have doubled.

It wasn’t lost on her that their presence would make any escape attempt unlikely now.

She quickly looked away from them, surprised as she realised she’d been looking forward to seeing Angelo.

“Ridiculous,” she thought, then she sighed inwardly.

Of course, she hated being there, yet she couldn’t ignore that he’d saved her life.

For that, at least, she owed him a debt of gratitude.

She didn’t spot him, though, and was strangely disappointed.

As they reached a set of double doors leading out to a balcony, Antonia pushed them open, revealing a vast terrace bathed in waning sunlight.

Beyond it lay the sprawling garden, the colours of flowers and greenery a welcome contrast to the walls of the infirmary.

The fresh air swept over her, and for the first time in hours, she felt like she could breathe.

But her thoughts didn’t linger as Antonia gave a quiet instruction to Judith to stay back.

With a little effort, she wheeled Annabelle further toward the garden, keeping them just within Judith’s line of sight but far enough that she wouldn’t overhear.

The men hung further back.

*********

After dismissing Aguilar, Dante turned to Angelo. “Any updates on the guy who dared to touch her?”

Angelo nodded. “We’re sure there’s no local connection, boss. He’s from outside Arcadia, but I haven’t identified why he targeted her specifically. Maybe he is just a sick prick who likes to hurt women, but…”

Dante’s eyes narrowed. “You don’t believe that, and neither do I.” He gestured sharply. “Retrace every step. Ask questions in the right places. I want answers. I want them quick.”

Angelo nodded, his expression determined.

Then, Dante’s mind drifted back to earlier.

Annabelle’s tear-streaked face loomed in the mind’s eye, and he remembered the way she’d cried bitterly as she apologised to a sister she couldn’t see.

It had taken all his self-control not to storm back there, scoop her up and promise to tear apart all the corners of the earth until he found her sister.

The fact that she didn’t want his comfort and wouldn’t believe him anyway had stopped him.

Fuck! His jaw clenched. “Anything new about her sister?” he asked suddenly.

“Nothing yet, boss.”

"Are you getting soft, Angelo?" Dante said sharply. "Something this simple should've been handled by now. You want me to think you need help with handling this?"

Angelo straightened as he responded, Angelo met his stare, his voice low. “I will handle it, boss. I am sure we will find her soon.”

“Good.” Dante dismissed him, watching as he left the room.

Dante’s gaze flicked back to the monitor, where the room remained empty.

“Still not back. What could they possibly be talking about that required such secrecy?” he wondered impatiently.

His irritation spiked, a dark shadow crossing his face as he considered the possibility that Annabelle suspected she was being watched.

The thought gnawed at him.

He wouldn’t put it past Antonia to let that slip too. He had no idea what to make of her strange behaviour recently.

But then another thought crept in. Antonia had believed Annabelle deserved what happened to her.

He could still remember her scathing comments earlier.

And now they were best of friends?

This new friendliness didn’t sit right with Dante.

The day was darkening outside his window, streaks of twilight fading to dusk, and with each passing minute, he felt his patience wearing thin.

The fresh, evening air outside was already cooling.

Aguillar’s nurse should’ve told her to get back inside.

“Do I need to tell everyone around here what to do?” he muttered, irritation boiling over as he strode out the door.

**********

“Here we are,” Antonia said with a smile. She manoeuvred the wheelchair to a bench by the clustered butterfly bushes, giving Annabelle a view of the expansive grounds.

Annabelle exhaled in relief as Antonia sat on the bench.

She asked, “Antonia, you wanted us to come out because I am being monitored in that room, right?”

Antonia raised her brow at the question, then without saying yes or no, she merely shrugged.

Antonia didn’t want to make things difficult for the kind woman so she didn’t ask again.

She already got her answer by the expression on her face anyway.

So she merely nodded and said, “I want to thank you for your help. I… I don’t know how I could ever repay you. You didn’t have to do any of this.”

Antonia held up a hand, almost dismissively. “It’s necessary. You needed help. You know the story we’re sticking to, yes? The one that says you attacked me to escape?”

Annabelle nodded immediately, “Yes, I wouldn’t say anything to get you in trouble…”

“And yet,” Antonia interrupted, her tone edged, “You nearly did, Annabelle. If Dante suspects I helped you, he could have me killed. He wouldn’t even blink.”

Annabelle swallowed hard. “I… I’m so sorry. I’ll never let on. I’d never risk your life after everything you’ve done for me. You’ve been…you’ve been like a friend.”

Antonia gave her a small smile. “Well, I’m glad you see it that way. And you’re right. We could be friends.” Her eyes softened momentarily, though her voice remained cautious. “But understand, I’ll never cross Dante openly. Everyone knows how he is when he loses control. Those fits of rage…when he kills without hesitation. It’s frightening.”

The words chilled Annabelle. She hadn’t forgotten what she’d seen him do to that man.

With no hesitation, no regret.

The memory wiped away the strange, almost comforting feeling she’d woken up with when she’d found him holding her hand, speaking to her with a gentleness she didn’t know he had.

A warmth she’d forced herself to ignore.

“Next time,” she thought bitterly, “I’ll scrub my hands clean till they get raw. God knows how long his hands were on mine.”

Antonia must have seen the look on her face, as she asked, “Is something wrong?”

Annabelle hesitated. “Just…wondering about you, Antonia. Are you…here against your will too?”

Antonia gave a soft laugh as she patted Annabelle’s shoulder lightly. “No, not against my will. But, Annabelle…” she lowered her voice, her eyes gleaming as she said, Nobody says no to Dante. He always gets what he wants.”

Anger stirred in Annabelle’s chest. “Of course he does. That’s exactly the problem,” she muttered. “He just expects everyone to fall in line, doesn’t he?”

“More or less,” Antonia said in a near-whisper.

“I won’t be under any man’s thumb again,” Annabelle vowed internally as frustration spiked her anger again. “Yes, he did save me, but I am not going to roll over just because he expects it.” She clenched her jaw. “I’ll find a way out. I’ll survive him, get Cathy and all this will be over.”

She didn’t notice Antonia’s look, but she suddenly remembered something, “Antonia…thank you for the money,” she said in a slightly raised voice. “If I had not seen it in the hoodie, I don’t know what I…”

“What money?”

They both froze as Dante suddenly appeared from the other side of the dense bushes.